How do you manage your time?

Not having enough time has become a very common complaint both at home and at work. The essence of good time management is prioritizing what is most important to you and then disciplining yourself to accomplish those highest priorities first.

Time management is not so much about checklists, calendars, and scheduling as it is knowing what is most important in your life and making sure that the activities of your life are aligned with your values and priorities. 

Stephen Covey developed a Time Management Matrix to prioritize the activities of our lives.  There are two dimensions to the matrix:  urgent and important. 

• Urgent matters are those that demand immediate attention, such as the telephone call from an irate customer, the report the boss asked for right away, etc.  We are reactive to the urgent.
• Important matters are those that are aligned with long-term values, priorities, and goals, such as learning new skills, developing new products, or getting a college degree.  Important issues require us to be more thoughtful and proactive.

The way we get more time for those things that are most important to us is to stop doing the not urgent and not important:  time wasters such as idle chat, busywork, junk emails, mindless TV shows. Minimize the time allowed for the urgent but not important:  some meetings, some phone calls, some emails.  Successful people do this by saying “no” frequently.  Learn to say “no” to unimportant activities.

Time management is up to you.  Take some time and think about exactly what your true priorities are.  Spend more time on those things that are truly important to you.

If you are interested in learning more visit our website for information on our Time Management webinar.

Until next time...






Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/

Five Ways Managers Can Increase Employee Engagement by Rachel Stones, Guest Author

Are your employees going through the motions each day, or perhaps they’re simply doing enough to get by?  These are common traits of disengaged employees found in most workplaces across the world.  Disengaged employees are not invested in their work which can be manifested in their attitudes and the quality of their work.  So, how can companies turn disengaged employees into engaged ones?  The key is to start with management.

Management can set the overall tone in the workplace, especially where employee engagement is involved.  Read on for tips to help your leadership increase employee engagement.

Set the Example

Years ago, I saw a poster that read, “Attitudes are contagious; is yours worth catching?”  I feel this mantra is particularly applicable in the workplace.  Managers can set the example for their employees in just about every facet of the workplace, including habits, attire, attitude, and more.

If managers come into the office late and leave early, then their employees will be inclined to do likewise.  If the manager is pessimistic about the company trajectory, then employees might be inclined to feel similarly.

On the other hand, good managers work as hard as those who work for them.  They show up on time or in a lot of cases, early.  They are excited about the work they do, and that excitement spreads through their teams.  If your company leadership has a positive outlook and is always looking for ways to improve, that same attitude can impact employees.

Give Frequent and Consistent Feedback

Managers who frequently and consistently meet with their employees to give them feedback have employees who are more engaged, according to a report issued by Zenger Folkman. However, the feedback needs to be sincere and detailed to have the maximum effect.  Managers who develop a good relationship with their employees and who regularly provide constructive feedback give employees the information they need to change, improve, and succeed.

Recognize and Show Appreciation

A study by BambooHR showed the number one reason employees left a company when leaving because of their boss was due to their boss taking credit for their work.  Managers should avoid taking credit for their teams’ work at all costs, and the best way to do that is to develop a habit of recognizing and showing appreciation for your employees.

Managers can do this in a variety of ways.  Thank-you notes, verbal recognition (private and public), are examples that can help your employees feel valued and encouraged to continue producing great work.

Enable and Empower

Have you ever tried to plant a garden without any gardening tools?  It’s doable, but it’s much more time-efficient when you’re equipped with the right tools. The same principle applies in the workplace.  If your employee prefers working on a Mac versus a PC, buy him/her a Mac. If you want your employees to be innovative, then encourage (and fund) participation in additional educational opportunities related to the industry.  Enable and empower your employees by giving them right tools and opportunities to grow.

Encourage Involvement

Whether it’s a company barbecue or a client meet-and-greet, employees who are involved with their company daily are more inclined to be engaged.  Managers can set the example by their own participation, but they can also extend invitations and encourage their employees to be involved.

The Takeaway

Having engaged employees means having workers who are actively involved in the workplace.  Engaged employees are more productive and concerned about their own contributions as well as the performance of the company.  Management can play a key role in the engagement of company employees.  Share these tips with leadership to help guide them as they lead and manage their teams to success. 

Guest Author Bio

Rachel Stones loves to share business and HR tips with entrepreneurs.  She writes for Objective App Development the creators of Built for Teams, a complete HR system tailored specifically to the needs of small and medium sized businesses.  She also enjoys creative writing, gardening, and spending time with her family.

The "Trap" of Procrastination

Many people claim they work best under pressure. Others sigh, resigned to their fate: "It's just the way I am; I've always been like this."

Procrastination does work for some people, often because others are always there to cover up, pitch in, pick up the slack, and do whatever it takes to get the project completed on time.  However, procrastination is devastating in terms of its overall effect on productivity in the workplace.  Weighing the consequences of procrastination against the benefits of good self-management may encourage you to incorporate more self-discipline into your work habits.

Have you ever put something off until the last minute because it seemed difficult, overwhelming, or just not something you wanted to do?  When you finally got it done, most likely it turned out to be not as bad as you thought!  When you just can't get started on a project, tell yourself that by just jumping in and beginning, you'll make some progress and won't feel so overwhelmed at the last minute.  Break a large project down into small, manageable tasks.  Make a list of those tasks and begin the first one right away.


Until next time...







Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/

The Secret is Managing Your Priorities

Time Management
The secret to managing time is figuring out what is most important to you and making sure that you set aside time to accomplish your goals.  Daily planners, "To Do" lists, priority-setting, and other organizational methods can help you to work smarter. The way you use these tools to manage your priorities is true time management.  What is truly important for you to be doing right now?  If it's not what you are working on, then stop.  Ask yourself that question repeatedly to be able to manage your time best.
 
We all experience situations in which we do not manage our time and ourselves as well as we could. How are other people (co-workers, boss, customers, other departments) affected by your use of time? What are some changes you can make now to become more organized and use your time more effectively?

Until next time...







Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Although organizations are looking for employees who work hard, they also want people who are able to create balance and harmony between their personal and professional lives.  Studies show that people who have strong, personal commitments to family and friends are happier, healthier, and live longer.  An important part of learning to work smarter, harder, faster, and better involves learning how to stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit so we can meet the challenges of today's workplace more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

Would you like more information regarding productivity and time management?  We offer a Time Management Webinar to help you focus on what is truly important to you. Click HERE for more information.

Until next time...

Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/

Timewise Leadership

A leader's value is measured in degrees of effectiveness.  It's not only how efficiently you perform your function in a leadership role, but it's also how effectively you guide your employees toward the attainment of the organization's goals.  Using time effectively is one way to increase your personal effectiveness; helping others to use their time wisely is one way to increase your value to the organization.

Timewise leadership depends on the leader, the followers, and the situation. Timewise leaders are capable of using many leadership styles. For example, in an emergency situation, an autocratic style is needed to quickly get done what needs to be done.  In an emergency situation, the timewise leader will not hesitate to give orders and expect a fast, unquestioning response.  However, in a non-urgent situation, an executive might use more democratic leadership style that takes longer to accomplish  but saves time in the long run by developing empowered, capable employees. 

When employees are involved in the attainment of organizational goals, they tend to be involved and enthusiastic. Even though it takes time to communicate, to explain, and to confer with staff, the participative approach is by far the most efficient leadership style.   Motivation is the prime ingredient of any accomplishment.  A motivated  employee will work harder to attain a goal than an  unmotivated mployee . Timewise, it makes sense to use a leadership style that involves employees in setting goals, making decisions, sharing responsibility, and experiencing free flow of organizational information.

We choose to use our time consciously or unconsciously. When we supervise others, we often do things or neglect to do things that result in an inefficient use of our time.

Think about how you spend  your time as a supervisor and the things you do that either waste time or help you gain time.   How can you better plan and schedule your time and also help your employees to better manage their time?

Until next time...

Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR
http://tools2succeed.com/